The Yayu coffee forest biosphere reserve is in the Illubabor Zone of Oromiya Regional State, in the south-western part of Ethiopia. The area is drained by small rivers like Geba, Dogi, Saki and Sese, which discharge into the Baro River which is one of the major tributaries of the river Nile. The biosphere reserve contains landscape elements of regional, national and international importance. The most important landscapes are forest, agricultural land, wetland, and grazing land.
The biosphere reserve includes Eastern Afromontane Biodiversity Hotspot and Important Bird Areas of international significance. The area is also of cultural and historical significance since it possesses many archaeological sites, ritual sites, caves and waterfalls.
Designation date: 2010
Networks
Regional network: AfriMAB
Ecosystem-based network: Global Change in Mountain Regions (GLOCHAMORE) and Global and Climate Change in Mountain Sites (GLOCHAMOST)
Description
Map
Surface : 167,021 ha
- Core area(s): 27,733 ha
- Buffer zone(s): 21,552 ha
- Transition zone(s): 117,736 ha
Location:
- Latitude: 8°0'42"N - 8°44'23"N
- Longitude: 35°20’31”N – 36°03’22”E
Administrative Authorities
Oromiya National Regional State, Oromiya Forestry andWildlife Enterprise, Illubabor Branch, Illubabor ZoneLand and Environmental Protection, Six Districts Administration,Oromiya Bureau of Land and Environmental Protection,Oromiya Forestry and Wildlife Enterprise,Oromiya Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Developmentand Ministry of Science and Technology
Dr. Tadesse Woldemariam Gole
P. O. Box 28513, Addis Ababa
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Ecological Characteristics
The Yayu Coffee Forest Biosphere Reserve is situated in southwestern Ethiopia. The area plays a key role in the conservation of natural and cultural landscapes. The biospherereserve includes Eastern Afromontane Biodiversity Hotspot and Important Bird Areas of international significance and one of the last remaining montane rainforestfragments with wild Coffea arabica populations in the world.
The area is also of cultural and historical significance since it possesses many archaeological sites, ritual sites, caves and waterfalls. The core areas and buffer zone are considered as one of the Regional Forest Priority Areas(or Forest Conservation Area) and Forest Coffee conservation Site.
Socio-Economic Characteristics
The transition area is found adjacent to the buffer zone andit is composed of agricultural land, wetland, grassland,settlement area and fragments of forest land. All the managementunits (core, buffer, transition) in the proposedbiosphere reserve are contiguous; but there are five coreareas. About 154, 300 permanent residents live in the biospherereserve and mainly rely on agriculture.
The designation as a biosphere reserve is expected to enhance ecologically sound and traditional agriculture, to foster ecotourismand to create new jobs in small businesses such as coffee,bee-keeping, spices and horticulture activities. Within thebiosphere reserve framework, local communities are familiarizedwith the wise use of natural resources and sustainable development techniques, and the implementation of conservation projects.
Currently, two projects funded bythe German Federal Agency for Conservation and German Federal Ministry of Education and Research are being implemented in the proposed biosphere reserve: Conservation and use of the wild populations of Coffea arabica in the montain rainforests of Ethiopia and public awareness and environmental education project.
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Last updated: October 2018